Mary An Merchant is a member of the Patent Group's biotechnology, chemical, pharmaceutical, and medical technology teams. Dr. Merchant's graduate and post-graduate research involved both mammalian and plant molecular biology, protein biochemistry, immunology, microbiology, and infectious disease. She focuses her practice on intellectual property law, including trademark registration and patent procurement, with an emphasis on the life sciences, including products and invention in the fields of biotechnology, veterinary and human biologics, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, cosmetics, consumer products, nutraceuticals, and medical devices.

Dr. Merchant's experience encompasses patent prosecution, litigation, reissue and reexamination, post-grant proceedings, licensing, due diligence, and opinions. She provides intellectual property counsel to a variety of clients, including multinational corporations, mid-cap companies, and start-up biotech and medical-device companies. Dr. Merchant also provides counsel related to issues involving regulatory matters before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. She works with emerging-growth companies, both domestically and internationally, and has been involved with financial transactions involving initial public offerings, sales and procurements of assets, and mergers and acquisitions.